The Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry (USCP) conducts research on social interactions ('what happens between people and social systems') in mental health care and society as a whole. We are a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre, the only one specifically for Mental Health Service Development worldwide, and our work includes developing and evaluating innovative interventions.
The Unit was established in 1997 and is part of the Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health, within the Wolfson Institute of Population Health at Queen Mary University of London. USCP collaborates closely with the East London NHS Foundation Trust (rated "Outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission). We are located in the London Borough of Newham, in East London, the most ethnically diverse borough in the UK. Our work supports clinical services to ensure that service users are supported with evidence-based approaches.
We exist to improve the lives of people dealing with mental distress across the world and develop and test psychosocial interventions, both nationally and globally. We identify approaches that improve people’s lives, including those with severe mental illness (both adults and young people), and other groups such as people with learning disabilities. We work with established clinical services, as well as local community groups to better support such people. We also aim to give community groups the tools they need to deal with and overcome mental distress.
Our research addresses concepts, methods and practice of social psychiatry and includes the following main themes:
The team uses a wide range of research methods including, large randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, naturalistic experiments, qualitative work and arts-based methods. This work involves interdisciplinary collaboration with social sciences, computer sciences and humanities. We value mutual learning and have an active programme of knowledge exchange, including seminars with internal and external collaborators, presentations and training.
Our work is funded by a range of funding bodies including, NIHR, EU Horizon, Research Councils (e.g., MRC, ESRC), Bart’s Charity, British Academy and more. Collectively we have generated more than £40m in the past 10 years in competitive research income. The team is comprised of researchers from multiple backgrounds, including psychiatrists, arts therapists, nurses, epidemiologists, trialists and health services researchers. USCP is also involved in teaching at both QMUL and ELFT, and there are several PhD students supported within the Unit. Additionally, we work closely with service users and carers with lived experience of mental distress and involve experts by experience in all aspects of our research.
To learn more about our research, follow us on X (@QMULSocialPsych) and please visit the Research Section.
Our Team
Victoria Bird – Unit Lead
Afia Ali - Clinical Reader in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry
Kelly Wintsch
Tessa Roberts - Lecturer
Catherine Carr – Clinical Lecturer
Agnes Chevalier – SCENE Programme Manager
Philip McNamee – Programme Manager
Emma Medlicott – Trial Manager
Renata Peppl – Trial Manager
Sana Sajun – Trial Manager
Francois Van Loggerenberg – Research Fellow
Catherine Fung – Research Fellow/ Trial Manager
Jennifer French – Researcher
Aleksandra Matanov – Researcher
Lauren Hounsell – Research Assistant
Lauren Jerome – Research Assistant
Lopez Chemas, Natalia – Research Assistant
Emma Millard – Research Assistant
Katy Packer – Research Assistant
Natalia Lopez - Research Assistant
Diliniya Sureshkumar - Research Assistant
Komal Dayani - Research Manager
Ayed, Nadia – PhD Student
Franziska Mosler – PhD Student
Nicola Power – PhD Student
Vian Rajabzadeh – PhD Student
Megan Tjasink – PhD Student
Madison Stephens - PhD Student
Contact
Victoria Amoah v.amoah@qmul.ac.uk or Nikitta Rowe n.rowe@qmul.ac.uk
Address:
Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry
Newham Centre for Mental Health
Glen Road
London
E13 8SP